Washington (CNN) – As President Barack Obama's approval rating hits another all-time low, a new national survey also indicates that Americans say the President has less power than congressional Republicans when it comes to shaping events over the next year.

According to a CNN/ORC poll released Thursday, 41% of Americans approve of the job the President's doing in the White House, the lowest level for that crucial indicator in CNN polling. Fifty-six percent questioned say they disapprove of Obama's performance, an all-time high in CNN surveys.
The President's approval rating has now reached new lows or tied his all-time lows in polls released over the past three weeks from CNN/ORC, CBS News, ABC News/Washington Post, Quinnipiac University, National Journal Heartland Monitor, and NBC News/Wall Street Journal. And the CNN survey is the fourth non-partisan live operator national poll released this week to put Obama's approval rating between 40% and 42%. A CBS News survey released Wednesday showed the President's approval rating at 37%.

Geography appears to play a role in the President's falling numbers.

"The drop in Obama's approval rating comes entirely among suburbanites," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Compared to the October CNN poll, positive views of Obama held steady among people who live in big cities and rural areas. But in the suburbs, his approval rating was 45% a month ago but has dropped to just 37% now."

The President's overall job approval rating is down three points since mid-October after being stuck in the mid-40s for several months in CNN polling. But it's worth noting that Obama's woes did not begin with the disastrous launch of the HealthCare.gov website in October, Holland pointed out.

"The real damage came in June, when reports about NSA spying and IRS treatment of conservative groups caused an eight-point drop in his approval rating - a far more significant change than what the numbers from October suggest," he said.

Who should shape Washington?

Fifty percent believe that congressional Republicans will have more influence over the direction the nation takes in the next year while only 42% saying the President will have more influence, according to the poll. That's a change from November 2012, when more six in ten said Obama would have more influence in the year to come.

Who should have more influence is a different story.

The poll shows 47% want Obama to be in charge while 45% say the GOP should have more influence over the country.

"There is a hint of good news for the President - but only a hint - in those numbers, since that means that the number of Americans who support Obama in his struggles with the GOP is a bit higher than the 41% approval rating would suggest. But that number is also a step down in Obama's support, representing a four-point decline since the last time the question was asked just after Obama won re-election last year," Holland said.

The poll was conducted Nov. 18-20 for CNN by ORC International, with 843 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

soundoff(712 Responses)

I do not believe these polls. I don't believe his approval rating is as high as the polls are reporting.

November 22, 2013 07:23 pm at 7:23 pm |

Daniel

MAD, DOW up, yep thank you I am making money the middle and lower class aren't and it is all because of $85 billion a month for 2 years of QE3. 1 Trillion pumped in by your Pres. Intrest at a low helps no one other than peopl buying houses and big businesses. You can't even make money on your savings, Unemployement is a lie. Less people are in the workforce than when O was elected the first time and the only insurance that is affordable is for the poor, Medicaid and for people like you that get my subsidies. We have been canceled and replacements cost 2X more. Your poor O talking points are getting old, wake up, pay attention, think for yourself, and actually follow facts.

November 22, 2013 07:43 pm at 7:43 pm |

Bob

Obama believes that it's a messaging issue. Problem for him now is every time he gets in front of the camera and opens his mouth, his poll numbers drop.

November 22, 2013 07:43 pm at 7:43 pm |

AngryAmerican

It deserves to be lower.

November 22, 2013 08:02 pm at 8:02 pm |

darth's daughter

ACA aka Obamacare the deductibles are too high and unacceptable, the deductibles need to be reduced dramatically in order to make ACA affordable as it was 'designed to be' or was that another tall story like being able to keep your own insurance, doctor, etc.?

November 22, 2013 08:18 pm at 8:18 pm |

TSB8C

Repeated statements that he was not well informed of what was going on with ACA, NSA, IRS, Benghazi, Fast and Furious means he is incompetent and has buffoons working for him. Caught in his lies also means he is untrustworthy. Untrustworthy and incompetent leave nothing left to support him on.

November 22, 2013 08:50 pm at 8:50 pm |

Anonymous

Just more of the same really.

November 23, 2013 02:11 am at 2:11 am |

dniemeyer@knology.net

President Obama interjected himself (on the wrong side) in multiple state and local issues, but only if the offender was black. He allowed the targeting of political opposition by the IRS with no accountability, wasting of billions on green jobs that never happened, wasted billions on shovel ready jobs that weren't, held no one accountable for bengazi, knowingly lied about A A... and many more.
Now finally over 50% of Americans wake up....shame on all of you!

November 23, 2013 08:20 am at 8:20 am |

Pat McGill

Hoang Le
GOP does not like whatever Obama does, but who care? economy is on the way up, employment is on the way up, and dow jones is above 16000. Obama does everything in his power to help American, not the political parties.

November 22, 2013 03:26 pm at 3:26 pm |------–Hoang, Quite the opposote. Obama wants us paying high energy prices, medical preminus and, of course, taxes. He wants us restricted in freedoms, ability to travel at will and under complete government control.

November 23, 2013 08:46 am at 8:46 am |

sandrausagi

I lost my health insurance and I'm angry.

November 23, 2013 09:08 am at 9:08 am |

Lindsey

It is a shame that we can't have another election for president now and that we have to wait 'till 2016! The total lack of character displayed by this administration is an embarrassment to our country around the world!